Therapeutic apparatus



Jan. 12, 1960 .1. NAWARA 2,920,890

THERAPEUTIC APPARATUS Filed March 14, 1958 Z INVENTOR.

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United States Patent THERAPEUTIC APPARATUS Jozef Nawara, Chicago, Ill. Application March 14, 1958, Serial No. 721,508 2- Claims. (Cl. 272-58) This is the continuation in part of the pending application for a therapeutic apparatus, Serial No. 714,565.

As far as applicable the objects of the invention herein disclosed and claimed are identical with those specified in the said pending application.

Specifically, the principal object of the invention herein disclosed is the provision of a suitable pivotal connecting means between a support and a platform, the latter supporting a patient in a recumbent position, whereby the platform may be capable of teeter or seesaw motion when the ends of the platform are alternately angularly shifted in a vertical direction by means of a suitable mechanism actuable by the patient while upon the platform.

Another object of the present invention is the provision, as a part of the said pivotal connecting means, of a cylindrical shaft rigidly supported upon the support aforesaid, with a tubular member journalled upon the shaft, said tubular member being rigidly connected with the platform, whereby the platform may be capable of seesaw motions when alternate angular shifting on vertical plane is imparted to the ends of the platform.

A still further object of the present invention is to generally improve the said pivotal connecting means between the support and the platform.

With the above general objects in View and others that will appear as the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing forming a part of this application, and in which like designating characters refer to corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Fig. l is a side elevational view of a platform, with a support disposed therebelow in a longitudinal central relation with the platform, with the pivotal connecting means between the platform and the support whereby the platform may be capable of making teeter or seesaw motions, with a superstructure disposed above the platform for supporting a suitable mechanism operable by the patient while on the platform, for alternately shifting the ends of the platform on a vertical plane for thereby imparting a seesaw motion to the platform upon said pivotal connecting means;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the upper end of the support with the pivotal connecting means aforesaid in an operative position therewith;

Figv 3 is an enlarged longitudinal cross sectional view through the said pivotal connecting means;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal cross sectional view through the platform and transverse cross sectional view through a shaft and a tubular member journalled therearound, the latter two constituting integral parts of the said pivotal connecting means; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective end view of the shaft constituting a part of the said pivotal connecting means.

Referring to the presentdrawing in detail there Is 2 shown therein an oblong platform 10. Supported in an adjustable relation at each end of platform 10 is a cushioned foot and head rest or stop 11, one engaging a patients feet, and the other his head, and adjustable to the height of a patient, for preventing sliding of the patient upon platform 10 while the patient remains on it in a recumbent or supine position, when the platform is caused to make seesaw motions upon the support and the pivotal connecting means therebetween and said platform.

The support aforesaid, disposed below platform 10 in I a substantially longitudinally central relation therewith,

includes a beam 12 positioned in a transverse relation with platform 10. Said beam 12 is substantially of a frusto-conical shape on a transverse cross section, with its narrower end disposed in proximity of platform 10. Affixed to each end of said beam 12 by meansof a plurality of bolts 13, is a sheathing plate 14, in an enveloping relation with the sides and the upper end of said beam 12, said bolts 13 being passed through the side portions of said plates 14 and the sides of said beam 12.

Affixed to each side of beam 12, by means of screws, bolts or like fasteners 15, is a pair of leg supporting plates 16, one adjacent the inner edge of the side of each of said sheathing plates 14. ,The flattened upper portion 17 of the upper tubular leg portion 18 is afiixed to each of said plates 16 by means of screws or like fasteners 19. Thus there are four of said upper tubular leg portions 18, a pair of which on each side'of beam 12 is in a downwardly spreading relation with the opposed tubular leg portions 18 aflixed to the opposite side of said beam 12, as is seen in Fig. 1.

Receivable through the lower end of each of said upper tubular portion 18 of the legs, in a telescopic relation, is a cylindrical lower leg portion 20, said lower cylindrical leg portions 20 are in a sliding adjustable relation with said upper tubular leg portions 18, whereby the legs may be extended or reduced, for adjusting the distance of platform 10 from or to the floor. Screws 21 passed through the lower ends of said upper tubular leg portions 18 engage the lower cylindrical leg portions 20 for rigidly interconnecting the leg portions for maintaining the same in a longitudinal adjusted relation.

Mounted upon the lower end of each of said lower cylindrical leg portions 20 is a bifurcated caster supporting member 22 for supporting caster 23. Passed through one leaf of said caster supporting member 22 is screw 24, which, when driven toward the web of caster 23 rigidly engages the latter and acts as a brake for rendering the caster inoperative for thereby maintaining the support in an immovable position upon the floor when said platform 10 remains in a downwardly disposed relation with the superstructure hereinafter described.

Welded, as at 25, or otherwise rigidly affixed to the intermediate upper portion of each of said sheathing plates 14, is a cylindrical bearing 26, the outer end of which is sealed by end plate 27, which is provided with a diametrical slot for receiving therewithin tongue 28 formed at each end of cylindrical shaft 29. By virtue of this arrangement shaft 29 is rigidly interconnected with beam 12 and remains immovable with relation thereto. Journalled for a rotary movement upon said shaft 29, and interposed between the inner ends of said cylindrical bearings 26 is a tubular hinge member 30, which is welded, as at 31, or otherwise rigidly affixed to the underface of said platform 10 in a transverse longitudinally central relation therewith, as is seen in Figs. 1 and 4.

By virtue of the above described arrangement said tubular hinge member 30 permits teeter or seesaw motion of platform 10 upon shaft 29 when the ends of platform Patented Jan. 12, 1960 are caused to alterately angularly shift in upward and downward directions.

For strengthening the structure of the said platform support :the upper tuhular leg portions 18 are interconnected by means of braces .32, both in longitudinal and transverse relation with platform 10.

The pair of support legspon each side of beam 12 is provided with downwardly directed books .33 rigidly extending from said upper tubular leg portions 18- forengaging the lower ends-of coil springs 34. Ri'gidly affixed to the .under-face of platform 10' and downwardly depending therefrom are plates 35, on each side of the .platform support. Each of said plates is provided with a series of apertures 36, :-for engaging thereat. .the upper endsof. said coilsprings34. When the upper ends of coil springs 34 are engaged at thecorresponding apertures 36 on each side of the support said coil springs .34 tend to maintain platform 10 ina horizontal position. The upper ends of coil springs 34 .onone side of the support may be engaged at the outermost apertures 36 while the upper ends of coilsprings 34 at the opposite side of the support may be engaged at apertures .36 which are more proximate to the support, for thereby equalizing the action of coil springs 34 at each side of the support with relation to the patients weight at each end of platform 10. The object of this arrangement is to induce normal horizontal position of platform 10 counter to the patients on equal weight at each end of platform 10, and thereby to bring about a uniform seesaw shifting movement of platform 10 upon shaft 29 when the ends of the platform are caused to alternately shift in upward and downward directions by means actuable by the patient hereinafter described.

,Downwardly depending from each end of platform 10 is a telescopically extensible stop member, generally indicated by 37, composed of a plurality of telescopically interconnected parts 38, 39 and 40, which are interconnected by screws 41 to maintain said parts in an extended adjusted relation toward or away from the floor. The lowermost part 3 8 of stop member 37 at each .end of platform 10, coming in contact with the floor limits the downward shifting movement of that end of platform 10 toward the floor. One of said stop members 37 may be extended farther toward the floor than the other of said stop members 37, thereby permitting one end of the platform to shift farther away from the floor than the other end of the platform, depending upon the particular therapeutic requirements of any given patient. Optionally both of said stop members 37 may be extended in contact with the floor thereby preventing seesaw motion of the platform. In this last instance the platform would be rendered immovable and may be used as an examining table.

The superstructure 'h'ereinabove mentioned includes a substantially rectangular frame 42 which is supported by four legs 43, one engaged with each corner of said frame 42. Each of said legs includes an extensible member 44, the lower end of which carries caster 45. Said extensible member 44 may be rigidly afiixed to the upper portion of leg 43 by means of screw or like fastener 46 for maintaining the leg in its rigid adjusted relation for supporting frame 42 in any selected distance from platform 10. Brace 47' connects the upper end of each leg 43 with the longitudinal side member of frame 42 for further supporting said frame 42 rigidly upon said legs 43.

One or more rods 43 disposed within the pair of side members of frame 42, and rigidly connected with the end members of saidframe 42, support one or more-sleeves 49 in a sliding" relation, adjustable upon rod 48 in a rigid relation by means of. screw 5t).

Said sleeve 49 is provided with a downwardly depending hook 51 for removably supporting thereon rod 52, to the lower end of which is connected in a swivelled relation pulley supporting fixture 53 which. carries pulley 54.. A cord passed over one or more pulleys 54 is capable of supporting weights, handles and numerous other exercising devices for exercising legs, hands and arms of a patient while reposing upon platform 10.

Supported within frame 42 in a swivelled relation, and centrally thereof, is a pair of pulleys 55. The end members of frame 42 are each supporting pulley 56 in a swivelled relation. Said pulleys 55 and 56 are disposed below the plane of said frame '42.

Passed over one of'said end pulleys 56 and .one of said central pulleys 55 is cord 57, while passed over the opposite end pulley 5'6-and the remaining central pulley 55 is cord 58. The .ends of said cords 57 and 58 past :said central pulleys 55 are connected with stirrups or handles 59, while the opposite ends :of said cords -57 and 58 past said end pulleys 56 lead in a downward direction and are disengageably connected with hooks 60 each downwardly depending from each end of platform 10.

When a patient reposing upon platform 10 alternately imparts a pulling action in a downward direction upon one or the other of said handles 59 the ends of platform 10 will be caused to angularly shift in an upward direction thereby imparting to platform 10 a seesaw motion upon shaft 29, thereby allowing exercise to the patients hands and arms and aiding the blood circulation as the body of the patient is subjected to the seesaw motion with the platform.

On disconnecting the ends of cords 57 and 58 from hooks 6.0, and loosening screws 24 for rendering casters 23 operable, platform 1.0 may be shifted with its appurtenances :away from said ,frame 42.

Platform 10 may then be used as an examining table on first extending stop members 37 to an equal length and in contact with the floor and rigidly interconnecting theseveral parts of said extensible members 37 by means of screws 41.

'-In assemblingand operatively connecting the said .pivot connecting means with beam 12 and platform 10, first, one tubular bearing 26 .ismounted upon one end of shaft 29, with tongue 28 passed through the diametrical slot made in the end plate 27. Thereupon cylindrical hinge member 30 is mounted upon shaft 29 in an encompassing relation therewith. Thereupon the opposite cylindrical bearing 26 is mounted upon the opposite end of shaft 29 with tongue 28 passed through the diametrical slot in the end plate 27 of said latter cylindrical member 26. This assembly will cause the ends of the tubular hinge member 30 to contact with the inner ends of the two cylindrical bearings 26, as is seen in Pig. 3. Thereupon said cylindrical bearings 26 are welded or otherwise rigidly affixed to the upper intermediate portions of the sheathing plates 14. Finally, said cylindrical hinge member 30 is welded or otherwise rigidly affixed to the underface of platform 10, in a transverse and substantially longitudinal- 1y central relation with said platform, as seen in Fig. 1.

While there are described herein preferred embodiments of the present invention, it is nevertheless to be understood that minor changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

'What I claim as new is:

1. In a therapeutic apparatus including an oblong platform capable of see-saw motion, a support disposed below said platform transversely of the longitudinal center thereof, a pair of spaced cylindrical bearings one rigidly affixed to each end of said support, said bearings being closed on their oppositeouter ends, a shaft received by its ends within .said bearings, interfitting key means between the outer ends .of said bearings and the end faces of said shaft, and a tubular hinge member rigidly affixed to the underside of said platform, said tubular hinge member being in an encompassing journaled relation with said shaft and being disposedintermediately of said bearings.

2. The structure as set forth in claim 1, said support comprising a beam, a plurality of legs rigidly connected with said beam and depending downwardly divergently therefrom, a pair of sheathing plates each in an encompassing relation with each end of said beam, said pair of cylindrical bearings each rigidly aflixed to a separate sheathing plate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

